Diabetes Canada concerned about how much supplies could cost Islanders

Diabetes Canada is excited about Prince Edward Island's new pharmacare deal with the federal government, but hopes the province will reevaluate copays on diabetes supplies, says a senior manager with the organization. 

The pharmacare deal will provide more than $30 million over four years to help pay for diabetes medication and supplies, as well as contraceptives for Islanders.

"Seeing that there was actual allocated funds to the device fund in P.E.I…. was music to our ears and for the many, many Islanders who live with diabetes and their families," said Laura O'Driscoll, senior manager of policy with Diabetes Canada. 

While the deal expands coverage for diabetes supplies, it doesn't cover all costs completely. 

Insulin test strips, for example, will still require an $11 copay. 

"Eleven dollars seems like a pretty minute amount of money but… so many people with diabetes live with multiple chronic conditions" said O'Driscoll.

"When you add everything up — $11 here, $11 there for people — that's a lot of money, especially now with the cost of living," O'Driscoll said. 

Copay will stay 

A box of 100 test strips can cost between $80 and $100 dollars. Federal funding will cover 200 to 300 test strips per year, leaving the patient with an $11 copay, the Department of Health and Wellness said in an email statement. 

"There is no current plan to remove the $11 copay, however if patients also have private insurance those plans can potentially lower the copay further," said the statement.

Diabetes devices and supplies are not subject to the same "universal, single-payer, first-dollar coverage parameters set out for contraceptives and diabetes medications," said Health Canada officials in an email.

"Deductibles and copays are permitted for diabetes devices and supplies."

Looking ahead 

Diabetes Canada is still looking into the finer details of the new pharmacare deal and how coverage will work for other devices and supplies, O'Driscoll said.

The group is eager to work with the government to share what they hear from Islanders with diabetes, and to provide information on the gold standard for policy, she said. 

"We're hoping that what this investment will show the government is that when you invest in chronic disease management that you'll see those cost savings longer term," she said. 

"It means reduced hospitalizations, reduced emergency room visits, and… hopefully investing in strategies to reduce the significant number of diabetes cases that we see in P.E.I. and across Canada."